Polymers under Protons and Heavy Ions as Ionizing Radiations

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Physics and Theory".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 September 2022) | Viewed by 9394

Special Issue Editors

Graduate School of Maritime Sciences, Kobe University, 5-1-1 Fukaeminami-machi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe 658-0022, Japan
Interests: radiation physics; radiation chemistry; ion tracks in polymers; fundamentals and applications of etched track detectors
Graduate School of Maritime Sciences, Kobe University, Kobe 658-0022, Japan
Interests: laser-driven ion acceleration; laser plasma; fundamentals and applications of etched track detectors

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The potential of polymers to detect etched tracks was demonstrated as early as in the 1960s, notably in the field of space radiation, but it is only in the last decade that new potentials have been identified from comprehensive studies of the modified chemical structure of latent ion-track in different polymers, and especially in poly(allyl diglycol carbonate), PADC, which is known as the most sensitive etched track detector, usually called CR-39.

As the ion tracks around protons or heavy ions trajectories are enlarged to etch pits by chemical etching treatments for optical microscope observation, each observed etch pit corresponds to a swift ion that degrades the polymeric material. The size and the geometry of each etch pit therefore contains in-depth information about each swift-ion, such as its kind, its direction, and its kinetic energy.

Thanks to the increase in computational capabilities, experimental results have recently been simulated using the Monte Carlo method for secondary electrons around the ion track with a cut-off energy of 7.4 eV. Combining the quantitative analysis of latent tracks in PADC and the statistical simulation, new physical criterions have been proposed to describe the detection threshold of PADC, such as the radial electron fluence around ion tracks. Consequently, it is now possible to define the relation between the modified molecular structure along ion track in polymers and the track structure of secondary electrons around ion trajectories. This research opens a new door in ion track studies and in physics, as well as leading to a renewal of interest for several kinds of polymers, such as polyimides, poly(ethylene terephthalate), bisphenol A polycarbonate, and PADC, which have been etched for laser-driven ion acceleration, to discriminate ions from laser plasma, for instance. The different detection thresholds of these polymeric materials mean that it is easier to identify species. In turn, dry-etching by UV light has shown that heavy ion track in poly(ethylene terephthalate) has produced unexpected sub-nano scale modifications. Sub-nano nuclear track pores in poly(ethylene terephthalate) are also at the dawn of a new era, as research on them was not technically possible a few decades ago, offering potential for membrane applications such as ion separation in aquatic solution.

To celebrate a trajectory that started in the 1960s and that has been recently boosted by new technical capabilities and computing power, I would like to invite you to submit your research works on latent tracks in polymers in fundamentals and applications. This issue is meant to provide a common platform that reflects on recent progresses and the future of this innovative field.

Prof. Dr. Tomoya Yamauchi
Dr. Masato Kanasaki
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • Ion tracks of protons and heavy ions in polymers
  • Polymeric etched track detectors
  • Particle identification by chemical etching
  • Applications of ion tracks in polymers as membrane
  • Modified structure of ion tracks in polymers
  • Formation mechanism of ion tracks in polymer
  • Simulations of secondary electron around ion tracks
  • Criterion of etched track formation in polymers

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 2220 KiB  
Article
RPL Neutron Dosimetry in n-γ Fields in Comparison with Polymer Detectors Type CR-39
by Youbba Ould Salem, Halima Elazhar, Issiaka Traore, Jonathan Riffaud and Abdelmjid Nourreddine
Polymers 2022, 14(9), 1801; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym14091801 - 28 Apr 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1817
Abstract
Previously we characterized radiophotoluminescent (RPL) detectors for measuring both fast and thermal neutrons for personal monitoring. The linear response and angular dependence, which satisfies the ISO 21909 standard makes their application possible in neutron dosimetry. The polymer CR-39 track detectors remain one of [...] Read more.
Previously we characterized radiophotoluminescent (RPL) detectors for measuring both fast and thermal neutrons for personal monitoring. The linear response and angular dependence, which satisfies the ISO 21909 standard makes their application possible in neutron dosimetry. The polymer CR-39 track detectors remain one of the most used dosimeters where neutron radiations are to be measured, but the visualization process is time consuming. The difference between results obtained by RPL and CR-39 has been discussed mainly for fast neutrons. The present study has also looked at thermal neutron dosimetry, where we found few results in the literature for CR-39. Our measurements demonstrate that RPL detectors can be advantageously incorporated into a dosimeter to measure thermal neutrons. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers under Protons and Heavy Ions as Ionizing Radiations)
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18 pages, 2287 KiB  
Article
Methodological and Conceptual Progresses in Studies on the Latent Tracks in PADC
by Tomoya Yamauchi, Masato Kanasaki and Rémi Barillon
Polymers 2021, 13(16), 2665; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13162665 - 10 Aug 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1656
Abstract
Modified structure along latent tracks and track formation process have been investigated in poly (allyl diglycol carbonate), PADC, which is well recognized as a sensitive etched track detector. This knowledge is essential to develop novel detectors with improved track registration property. The track [...] Read more.
Modified structure along latent tracks and track formation process have been investigated in poly (allyl diglycol carbonate), PADC, which is well recognized as a sensitive etched track detector. This knowledge is essential to develop novel detectors with improved track registration property. The track structures of protons and heavy ions (He, C, Ne, Ar, Fe, Kr and Xe) have been examined by means of FT-IR spectrometry, covering the stopping power region between 1.2 to 12,000 eV/nm. Through a set of experiments on low-LET radiations—such as gamma ray-, multi-step damage process by electron hits was confirmed in the radiation-sensitive parts of the PADC repeat-unit. From this result, we unveiled for the first-time the layered structure in tracks, in relation with the number of secondary electrons. We also proved that the etch pit was formed when at least two repeat-units were destroyed along the track radial direction. To evaluate the number of secondary electrons around the tracks, a series of numerical simulations were performed with Geant4-DNA. Therefore, we are proposing new physical criterions to describe the detection thresholds. Furthermore, we propose a present issue of the definition of detection threshold for semi-relativistic C ions. Additionally, as a possible chemical criterion, formation density of hydroxyl group is suggested to express the response of PADC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers under Protons and Heavy Ions as Ionizing Radiations)
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16 pages, 7258 KiB  
Article
Smart Hydrogel Bilayers Prepared by Irradiation
by Weixian Huo, Heng An, Shuquan Chang, Shengsheng Yang, Yin Huang, Xiaohong Zhang, Xiaodan Hu and Haiqian Zhang
Polymers 2021, 13(11), 1753; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13111753 - 27 May 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2962
Abstract
Environment-responsive hydrogel actuators have attracted tremendous attention due to their intriguing properties. Gamma radiation has been considered as a green cross-linking process for hydrogel synthesis, as toxic cross-linking agents and initiators were not required. In this work, chitosan/agar/P(N-isopropyl acrylamide-co-acrylamide) (CS/agar/P(NIPAM-co-AM)) and CS/agar/Montmorillonite (MMT)/PNIPAM [...] Read more.
Environment-responsive hydrogel actuators have attracted tremendous attention due to their intriguing properties. Gamma radiation has been considered as a green cross-linking process for hydrogel synthesis, as toxic cross-linking agents and initiators were not required. In this work, chitosan/agar/P(N-isopropyl acrylamide-co-acrylamide) (CS/agar/P(NIPAM-co-AM)) and CS/agar/Montmorillonite (MMT)/PNIPAM temperature-sensitive hydrogel bilayers were synthesized via gamma radiation at room temperature. The mechanical properties and temperature sensitivity of hydrogels under different agar content and irradiation doses were explored. The enhancement of the mechanical properties of the composite hydrogel can be attributed to the presence of agar and MMT. Due to the different temperature sensitivities provided by the two layers of hydrogel, they can move autonomously and act as a flexible gripper as the temperature changes. Thanks to the antibacterial properties of the hydrogel, their storage time and service life may be improved. The as prepared hydrogel bilayers have potential applications in control devices, soft robots, artificial muscles and other fields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers under Protons and Heavy Ions as Ionizing Radiations)
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9 pages, 1575 KiB  
Article
Updates to TRACK_TEST and TRACK_VISION Computer Programs
by Dragoslav Nikezic, Jelena M. Stajic and Kwan Ngok Yu
Polymers 2021, 13(4), 560; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13040560 - 13 Feb 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1754
Abstract
The computer programs TRACK_TEST and TRACK_VISION were previously developed to model profiles and optical appearances of tracks developed in solid-state nuclear track detectors. The programs were based on a track development model that involved the bulk etch rate Vb and the track [...] Read more.
The computer programs TRACK_TEST and TRACK_VISION were previously developed to model profiles and optical appearances of tracks developed in solid-state nuclear track detectors. The programs were based on a track development model that involved the bulk etch rate Vb and the track etch rate Vt or the V function (i.e., Vt/Vb). The present work reported our work to update and modify these two programs. In the revised TRACK_TEST, two new V functions were added and enabled. Sample results for the CR-39 detector obtained using the three original and the two new V functions were compared. Discrepancies were within ~10% and <14% for incident alpha-particle energies of 1 MeV and >1 MeV, respectively. Another major revision of TRACK_TEST was to enable calculations for the Makrofol detector. In the revised TRACK_VISION, the two new V functions, as well as the option for the Makrofol detector, were also added. The experimental results on the Makrofol detectors were obtained (irradiated with 3.6-MeV alpha particles under normal incidence and then etched to achieve a removed detector thickness of 30 μm) for comparisons with the modeled results using the revised TRACK_VISION. The track diameters obtained from the experiment and model were 24.7 and 23.2 μm, respectively. Moreover, a bright area in the central parts, together with an outer dark ring, were present in both the simulated and experimental tracks. The track-opening diameters and the general optical appearances of the tracks were in good agreement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers under Protons and Heavy Ions as Ionizing Radiations)
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